Smart Justice Facts: Cost Savings

Florida taxpayers spent $2.4 billion to incarcerate more than 102,000 inmates in the 2010-2011 fiscal year

One out of every nine dollars in Florida’s general revenue state budget is spend on criminal justice and corrections

During the first decade of this century, almost 41,000 individuals were admitted to prison for technical probation violations, at a cost to the state of more than $1.3 billion

Florida taxpayers spent more than $300 million to incarcerate people for drug offenses in 2010-2011

The costs imposed by mandatory minimum prison sentences was almost $100 million

This reduced recidivism saves taxpayers $40 million per year compared to the costs of incarceration.

Five of six Floridians would support major changes in the system that could send fewer non-violent offenders into prison, instead looking to cheaper, more effective forms of punishment that would save taxpayer dollars.

One of out every nine dollars in General Revenue spent by the State of Florida is consumed by criminal justice and corrections – 11.1%

Prison admissions for drug possession in FY 2011 cost Florida taxpayers more than $59 million

Almost 2,000 juveniles (under 18) were admitted to adult prisons in FY 2010, costing taxpayers more than $200 million. More than 900 individuals were sent to prison that year for non-violent crimes they committed before their 18th birthday.

Individuals admitted to prison for crimes they committed before their 18th birthday are 58% more likely to return to prison than those incarcerated for crimes committed as adults.

In FY 2011, Florida taxpayers spent $313 million on the incarceration of more than 16,000 people for drug offenses.